Bill Shorten has branded Tony Abbott a potential ''oncer'' prime minister, insisting Labor can win government back at the next election if it stays united.

I'm very concerned that this government won't fight for existing jobs, on the one hand, and, on the other, it doesn't have any idea what Australia looks like in 2020

Declaring jobs, cuts and broken promises the key political battleground for the coming year, the Labor leader says he is stunned that Mr Abbott has squandered so much political capital so quickly.

In an interview to mark 100 days since he assumed the Labor leadership, Mr Shorten claimed the government was vulnerable on jobs, health, education, climate change and the implementation of its ''stop the boats'' policy.

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''I'm amazed at how our relationship with Indonesia went from hero to zero so quickly,'' he said before four days campaigning in Brisbane for the February 8 Griffith byelection.

The byelection in Kevin Rudd's once safe Labor seat will set the scene for the resumption of Parliament three days later.

Mr Shorten also announced that he is developing a plan to tackle street violence and called on the government to fund ''one punch can kill'' advertisements.

''Young men need to see other men condemning this street violence,'' Mr Shorten said. ''They need to know it's completely uncool and unacceptable.''

In a letter to Mr Abbott, he has pledged bipartisan support for moves that ''help stop this insidious scourge''.

''The increase in alcohol-fuelled violence is a deeply concerning trend and I believe the community's outrage in recent weeks is completely justifiable,'' he writes.

''Street violence, alcohol-fuelled violence, violence in the home should not be tolerated - but it will take all of our efforts to combat.''

Mr Shorten believes last week's heatwave has reframed the climate change debate and he is canvassing ways to put the government's ''direct action'' policy under greater scrutiny.

''Nothing they have done signals any conviction about climate change,'' he said. ''Their direct action plan is just a handout to big polluters.

''I get the argument from some people that we shouldn't be leading the whole world but, under the Abbott government, we're following the whole world. The attack on science and research is remarkable.''

Mr Shorten says Labor will not outline the detailed policies it will take to the next election this year.

''This is the year where we talk to people, hold the government to account,'' he said.

Mr Shorten attributed Labor's healthy position in opinion polls to the government's failings but said he wanted to win the 2016 election ''because we have better ideas, not because they break lots of promises and make lots of mistakes''.

''I'm very concerned that this government won't fight for existing jobs, on the one hand, and, on the other, it doesn't have any idea what Australia looks like in 2020,'' Mr Shorten said.

''Abbott won't fight for manufacturing jobs. Supporting [fruit processor] SPC and encouraging co-investment is a no-brainer but these guys are so ideological.

''There's only two explanations for their attitude on Electrolux, Qantas, Holden, SPC. Either they don't know what to do or they don't care, which is the more worrying.''

After campaigning for the leadership on the promise of party reform, Mr Shorten said a priority for this year would be to get more people involved in the Labor Party.

One focus would be to get the broadest possible range of candidates for marginal seats.

''The party that can field more female candidates in my opinion does better,'' he said.

494 comments

It’s great that Shorten can start the year with such optimism, particularly after Labor received it’s worst ever belting at the last election. Like all new governments the Coalition are finding their way with a few wins and a few bumps.

But if Bill wants to be taken seriously, there’s a few things to think about. Clearly Labor have learned nothing from the climate change debate over recent years, and refuse to axe the unpopular tax. Health and education are no longer strengths. The boats debacle is slowly being turned around, with the numbers dwindling – there’s no votes in that one.

Labor spent like drunken sailors for years and left the nations finances in a very poor state. It’s hard to see voters letting them back near the purse strings for a decade. Maybe Shorten could pledge a return to surplus – rolled, gold guaranteed.

Commenter

Hacka

Location

Canberra

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 3:35AM

Too right Hacka. I think the Coalition's poll numbers will drop further if it implements a tough budget, but that is what governments should do in their first year. It may not prove popular for now but should provide an excellent platform for re-election, particularly if Labor maintain support for a massive increase in Gonski funding simply by running up further debt.

Commenter

Flanders

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 4:20AM

Hacka, you must be LNP paid to be the first commentator every morning, setting the tone of further discussion with your rusted on one-eyed ideology.. And for someone who comments so regularly, you think you'd manage to include some facts, statistics or objectivity, even if just for the sake of variety, to reduce the monotony of the standard LNP song sheet drivel we have to endure.

Commenter

Bailz7

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 4:21AM

Hacka, more BS and spin on your behalf... I suppose your just spinning the party line as always. You may have noticed that there are severe weather conditions around the world and Abbott is going to get caught with his pants down... he is just not a man for our times... the LNP are not a party for our times. The LNP are ignoring science - for the first time since the 1930s Australia does not have a science minister (says ot all about the LNP). I think you'll find most people out there are increasingly concerned about our climate... what's worse is that just like other areas the LNP are missing an economic opportunity for us to be a leader in sustainable energy (but as I've said before Abbott is not a leader he's a follower ... and the LNP are a policy vacuum).

You are totally wrong in thinking that education is forgotten (just another attempt by you to spin an untruth)...What I'm hearing are the punters are simply not happy with the attempt to ignore and change Gonski... The LNP had six years to formulate policy and told us they had all their policies finished but we find after the election the cupboard is bare. This is being shown up in the polls... never seen a govt that didn't have a honeymoon. You may say the biggest defeat in the ALP history but the votes didn't go to the LNP... just wait to the next election and we'll see...

BTW where is Phoney? Can't find is firefighting equipment? Maybe Peta won't let him go out to play. The LNP lack vision and they really have no idea.... oh yes we need another review....

Commenter

n720ute

Location

North Coast NSW

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 4:22AM

Good morning Hacka. While Andrew Robb is overseas telling American business that we have less levels of red tape than the USA; and one of the best run economies, with very low levels of debt we still have people trotting out the same tired old lines they have been using for three years.

The economy that Hockey inherited from Swan was so sustainable that Joe felt he could safely raised the level of debt as his first act as treasurer.

The boat arrivals slowed because of policies implemented by Kevin Rudd. The turnback policy introduced by Abbott has been a total disaster. So bad, in fact, that the LNP have put it on hold, and gone into total information lockdown.

The carbon tax is still in place - so is Whyalla last time I looked -and my lamb roast is yet to cost $100. But, when Abbott throws money at big business- like a drunken sailor- under his rolled gold direct action plan, we may yet see his predictions come true.

I don't buy the argument that the govt. is finding its feet. The LNP promised us that they had the policies in place, and were ready to govern effectively from day one. If what you say is right, then they lied to the electorate.

Commenter

Gelert of Birrong

Location

Sydney

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 4:31AM

Tell him he's dreaming.With regards to the heat wave its called summer and it happens every year in January.Sydney had one last week too according to the SMH.The fact that it didn't get above 30 in the city doesn't matter though.I was under the impression that when the SMH changed the shape of their paper theypromised they would become tabloid. The standard of reporting over the last few months has well and truly disproved that myth.

Commenter

J Walker

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 4:34AM

Hacka your in Government now get a new narrative and govern. Oh by the way is going to war with Indonesia a Core or Non Core promise.

Commenter

Rob

Location

Gymea Bay

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 4:35AM

Hacka -your one eyed views certainly provide a chuckle if nothing else. Never let the facts get in the way of a good statement.

I happen to think that Labour won't in their own strengths get back in but Abbott & his team will help them. The Boats issue - its Monsoon season and the few boats coming across are now becoming a International relationship disaster by Morrison . Pyne is determined to be Abbotts replacement by the sheer negativity & destruction he is undertaking, then you so boldly state "Maybe Shorten could pledge a return to surplus – rolled, gold guaranteed."which Abbott & Hockey pretty much stated but now got a deficit limit extension & still no real budget given. Then there is the number of Liberal Pollies with their hands in the claims rorts -whilst in Opposition even Abbott -so one must wonder what will happen now!! And Oh-no witch hunt on them like on Slipper.

Hacka from time to time you do have some good points but today certainly isn't one of them so forget the decade long Liberal government

Commenter

peter@ibn.net.au

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 4:39AM

So Hacka, Labor have learnt nothing from the climate change debate? I reckon it is the other way around, we have had more record high temperatures in this year already and last year was the hottest on record. It was the right thing to do to spend to keep Aussies employed during the worst of the GFC, but if you are going to blame labor for their recent deficits, which were actually caused by falling revenue, then by that measure then lapband Joe's efforts are worse, as the deficit is much higher now when they took office. We will see how the Liebrals go with their promised surplus. Let alone the damage they will do to Australians with their rigid ideological adherence to Hayek economic theory.

Commenter

cycloniq

Date and time

January 20, 2014, 4:45AM

Shorten is mistaken if he believes people give a toss about our relationship with Indonesia - the voters will see boat numbers reduce (perhaps stop), and that is all they will care about. The current "tension" - a by product of the Indonesian election campaign - will also pass.

As for linking the recent heat wave to climate change, Shorten is falling into that old habit of linking individual weather events to global warming - that mistake may come back to haunt him, if you link a heat wave to climate change, then the next cold snap must mean that climate change doesn't exist. He should know better.

But does Labor have a chance of toppling the LNP? Possibly, but it depends on what happens overt he next few years, not the past few weeks.